


Rose Scent

by Confoosed



Category: IZONE (Band)
Genre: Bittersweet, Drabble, F/F, Hanahaki Disease, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 16:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16726608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Confoosed/pseuds/Confoosed
Summary: Ahn Yujin still smelled like rose, even then. But instead of bright crimson, Kim Minju could only see a withering pale rose with dulled thorns on that bed.Never once did the rose relented her smile.





	Rose Scent

_"You know, lately you smelled like rose.”_

She laid on her bed, an arm dangling on its’ edge. Her face was livid, showing no sign of livelihood that once seem to gush out from within her soul, like a fountain of ceaseless excitement and enthusiasm. Her haggard figure replaced the glorious, dauntless self she once was, with lank body so thin you’d feel like you could break her with the slightest of touch. Her eyes were sunken, darkened, no longer shining and sparkling like they once were. Truly, she almost appeared dead, if it wasn’t for the machine right beside her showing that her heart was, in fact, still beating, although slowly, faintly.

Yet, despite the absence of life in her whole being, she managed to smile when she saw the door opening, revealing her most important person standing behind it.

_“I do? Huh, guess that new shampoo I bought was rose-scented? I didn’t really care when I bought it.”_

She wasn’t as tall as the girl laying on bed, but her whole body proportion was incredible; from the shape of her face, the size and sharpness of her eyes, the thinness of her lips, the length of her legs—everything screamed perfection. To make it short, she was truly beautiful; and yet, the beauty showed nothing but sadness, regret, and pain on her face. The girl laying on bed seemed to notice that, and pressed her lips, though still without undoing her smile.

" _Really now, you should start paying more attention to things like that. I know you’ve never been one to really care about your hygiene, but sooner or later you’ll have to start learning to take care of yourself.”_

The beauty closed the door softly and took little steps to the girl laying on bed, wanting to observe and absorb everything she saw—everything the girl had become because of her fault. She wanted to see for herself the wreck she’s made. The girl she saw on that bed, although smiling the same smile she’s seen for the past years, was nothing like the girl she’s known for the past years. She was no longer jumping around doing elephant impressions, no longer teasing her or throwing bad jokes at her. She no longer had the energy to dance happily everytime she successfully pulled a prank on her. She didn’t have the energy to pat her back really hard it’d feel like someone is slapping you rapidly instead.

She was no longer the fiery little kid who dreamed of reaching the stars. She was sinking, ebbing, unable to do anything, everything.

_"I will, I will! The fact that you can smell the rose from me means I’ve been taking care of myself, right? You don’t have to worry about it.”_

It’s such a distant memory now, one that she took for granted and thought nothing more than just gestures of friendship. Looking back, she realized how hard it must be for the girl to appear unbothered, to appear indifferent with all the skinship, the touches and brushes. Looking back, she should have realized it sooner. It was obvious. She was stupidly oblivious.

_“I know, but… maybe it’s just that I still can’t get over my habit of worrying about you, you know? Your well-being still cross my mind from time to time.”_

_“Ah, really? Even after two months of me leaving the house?”_

_“Even after two months of you leaving the house.”_

She didn’t realize that she’s been standing at the side of the bed until the girl’s dangling hand took hers and squeeze it. Even that action alone feels sad; her grip was powerless, too soft that it could barely be felt. It was so pathetic that she couldn’t help but tear up at it. She muttered an apology, and then another one, and then over and over, until she couldn’t stop but wail her apology out. She squeezed the girl’s hand back, strongly, and fell to her knees. The sick girl started to shake as well, her cheeks already wet from tears. Never did her smile falter, never did her eyes leave the beauty slumped on the floor.

_"You really should put all that energy worrying over me to worrying about your wedding instead. It’s only a month from now on and you haven’t even found a dress yet!”_

She wanted to express her regret. She wanted to tell her that if only she had realized sooner, then none of this would’ve happened. She wanted to tell her that if only she could exchange place with her and be the one laying on that bed right now, she’d do it in a heart beat. But she couldn’t. She could do nothing but say all the what-if’s and should-have’s, and she knew all of that were worthless. Nothing can change the fact that she’s there now, laying sick on bed, fragile and broken, fading away.

_“I know, Yuding. Thank you for helping me search the wedding dress, by the way. I’d have been toasted if I were to do it on my own.”_

In-between her sobs, she felt a hand caress her cheek. She touched it, and looked up only to be met with the kindest, gentlest eyes she’s ever seen the girl made. Even with tears flowing down her sunken cheeks and no word spoken through her chapped lips, the girl successfully sent across the message she wanted to tell, with the utmost honesty and sincerity she didn’t have the energy to say: It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s not your fault, don’t cry.

_"Anything for you, Minju. Anything.”_

Ahn Yujin still smelled like rose, even then. But instead of bright crimson, Kim Minju could only see a withering pale rose with dulled thorns on that bed.

Never once did the rose relented her smile.

**Author's Note:**

> This is something that I did in my free time while lamenting on the scarceness of JinJoo content and I thoughtlessly just start typing out of nowhere. I know it still lack a lot, so please leave your thoughts down below so I can do more work in the future with better quality.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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